Chapter 50: Barren Planet Assessment 1
Name: Zhou Yan.
Rank: Corporal.
Affiliated legion: Flying Feather Legion.
Spiritual body: Bald eagle.
…
The fragments of the original owner's memory instantly filled Lin Yao's brain like a punctured beehive.
That was at Firefly Ferry three years ago.
At that time, the original owner had just awakened his spiritual body. According to the imperial regulations, he would soon enter the White Tower Academy to study.
In the years since his parents' accident, the Delin family has not paid much attention to the original owner. Perhaps it is because he awakened and became a plant guide, and the family can no longer treat him as badly as before.
A week after awakening, when the original owner had stabilized his mental strength and mental image, De Linfeng took the initiative to talk to him.
He asked him if he wanted to go out for a trip to relax before starting school, and said that the expenses could be paid from the De Lin family's public account, and arranged for a bodyguard to go with him.
When the original owner heard this, a long-lost warmth surged in his heart.
He finally received the attention of his family. Although this attention came a little late, he was still ecstatic and agreed immediately.
The original owner had always longed to see the star trails, but never had the chance to see it with his own eyes.
So, he chose Firefly Ferry, an old tourist star in the north that was famous for its star trails and flowing lights.
The night sky of this planet is often filled with green star trails like fireflies, as if a dazzling ferry was built between heaven and earth, hence the name.
The original owner was looking forward to this trip, imagining himself standing in the wilderness of Fireflies Ferry, watching those tiny bands of light passing overhead, becoming the most gorgeous scenery in the brocade woven of light bands and night.
On the first day of arriving at Firefly Ferry, there were still two hours before he met the tour guide who had agreed to take him to see the star trails.
But this could not suppress the original owner's excitement for his first long journey. He carried a simple backpack and was followed by a bodyguard as he strolled around the town where he was staying.
The shops on both sides of the street are hung with various souvenirs related to star trails, and the air is filled with the unique sweet aroma of local honey.
When I passed by a small shop selling star maps, the owner, a wrinkled old man, saw that I was a foreign tourist and enthusiastically recommended:
If you want to see the most stunning star trails, you have to go to the rime forest in the east. It may be remote, but the scenery there is absolutely beautiful.
In the middle of the rime forest is a peculiar lake called Mirror Lake.
The lake was frozen when the original owner went there. The ice on the entire surface was like a huge mirror, which could clearly reflect people's shadows.
When the star trails appear, the real scenery spreads out above your head, and below is its one-to-one restored image in the mirror.
Just thinking about it makes you feel like you are surrounded by star trails and lights. It is so beautiful!
The original owner was very excited and immediately opened his computer to ask the tour guide he had arranged with him.
The tour guide quickly replied that the Rime Forest is indeed one of the best recognized observation spots for Firefly Ferry, and asked if we want to change the observation spot there.
The original owner thought about it and agreed.
The original owner then asked the tour guide if the road to the rime forest was easy to walk on and if he could go first.
The tour guide replied that the place was just in a remote location and there was no major danger, and it was not really uninhabited.
You can ask for directions, and there is a path in the forest made by locals, so you can go there if you really want to.
When the tour guide confirmed that the original owner wanted to go first, he reminded him again to be careful and told him that he would wait for him at the entrance of the rime forest. The original owner agreed.
Anyway, he didn't know the way and wasn't in a hurry, so he could still stroll around the town before going to the rime forest.
In this way, the original owner and his bodyguard walked and stopped all the way to the frost forest.
The closer we got to the woods, the fewer houses there were around us, and the noise died down, leaving only the rustling of leaves in the wind.
Occasionally a few locals would show up, and when they learned his destination, they would say that he had chosen the place well.
Then I helped him show the way, and when we said goodbye, I told him to be careful and remember not to leave when he reached the entrance of the forest and to wait for the tour guide.
The original owner obeyed all the instructions of the locals and stopped at the entrance of the forest.
The scenery here is charming enough.
Every tree is covered in silver, rime hangs on the branches, and white and crystal frost flowers adorn the slender branches. Some look like fluffy marshmallows, some like delicate corals, and some like blooming pear blossoms, sparkling brightly in the sun.
As the breeze blows, the rime on the branches sways gently, and occasionally tiny ice crystals fall, like snow, which is so beautiful that it makes people intoxicated.
The original owner couldn't help but stretch out his hand, wanting to touch the white rime. As soon as his fingertips touched it, the ice crystals turned into tiny water droplets, and the cool touch was very comfortable.
He just stood at the entrance of the forest admiring the beauty of the rime, patiently waiting for the tour guide, thinking about how spectacular it would be when the star trails appeared.
But at this moment, a series of intermittent groans came from the woods. The sound was filled with pain that was difficult to conceal, breaking the tranquility of the forest.
The original owner's heart skipped a beat, and he couldn't help but look in the direction of the sound. The forest was so dense that he couldn't see clearly what was going on inside.
He hesitated for a moment, not knowing whether he should go in and take a look. After all, the tour guide asked him to wait at the entrance, even though he was accompanied by the bodyguards sent by De Linfeng.
Uncle Li, with an expressionless face, was standing not far away, observing his surroundings vigilantly.
The original owner's feet seemed to be nailed to the ground, his fingertips unconsciously twisting the backpack straps. He turned to look at the guard: "Uncle Li, did you hear that?"
Uncle Li nodded, frowning slightly: "It sounds like someone is asking for help."
His hand quietly rested on the weapon at his waist. "Master, according to the rules, we shouldn't act without permission. It would be safer to wait until the tour guide arrives."
The instructions of the guide and the locals still echoed in my ears: "Wait at the entrance of the forest."
But the intermittent moans were like hooks, hooking his heart again and again.
He looked deeper into the forest again. The dense branches intertwined and blocked his view. Only the occasional sunlight shone through the gaps, casting mottled spots of light on the snow.
The wind whistled through the woods, carrying with it rime crystals and making the painful sound clearer, as if someone was trapped by something and was struggling desperately.
"Maybe it's just a small animal that was injured?" The original owner muttered to himself, trying to convince himself to stay where he was.
But he couldn't help but look at Uncle Li, "How about... we go take a look? We'll be back soon."
Uncle Li looked troubled. "Master, Mr. De has instructed us to ensure your safety. Unknown areas are too risky."
He clenched his laptop tightly. The screen was still showing the chat interface with the tour guide. The last message was that the tour guide said he would arrive in twenty minutes.
If we wait another twenty minutes, we can go in with the tour guide. Even if something really happens, one more person will be more helpful.
But the groan suddenly rose in pitch, turning into a suppressed cry of pain, and then stopped abruptly.
The original owner's heart suddenly tightened. The plant guide's natural empathy allowed him to clearly feel the pain that erupted in that instant, like fine needles pricking his nerves.
He remembered that when he awakened his spiritual body, the mentor that Delinfeng had invited to help him stabilize his spiritual body had said: "The existence of a guide is to perceive and protect."
"Uncle Li," the original owner said with unquestionable insistence, "He sounds like he's dying. Let's go check him out. You stay with me, and he'll be fine."
Uncle Li looked at the determination in the boy's eyes, and after a few seconds of silence, he finally nodded: "Stay alert, and retreat immediately if there is any danger."
"Just take a look and come back right away." The original owner bit his lower lip and made a decision.
He took off his backpack and placed it on the stone at the entrance, then took out the first aid kit. Although it was a must-have item for traveling, it now seemed like fate had its own plan.
The original owner left his heavy backpack where it was and walked in along the path trampled by the locals. Uncle Li followed closely behind him, his steps as light as a cat.
The snow under my feet made a slight crackling sound, which was particularly clear in the silent forest.
He had no time to appreciate the beauty of the rime at this moment. His attention was completely drawn to the movements captured by his ears, and his heart was beating so fast that it seemed like it was going to burst through his chest.
After walking about fifty meters, the trees in front suddenly became sparse, revealing a small open space surrounded by hoarfrost.
The original owner walked lightly and pushed aside the last branch. The scene before him made him gasp.
A man in dark combat uniform huddled beside a thick old tree, his hands tightly pressing on his temples.
The blood droplets seeping from between the fingers dripped onto the white snow, like dazzling red plum blossoms blooming.
The air around him twisted and distorted, and his mental power surged uncontrollably, shaking the surrounding rime into pieces and making tiny noises on the snow.
That was Zhou Yan, of course the original owner didn't know his name at that time.
The spirit form of his bald eagle floated beside him in a semi-materialized state, its wings twitching painfully, its sharp beak constantly pecking at the snow, and it let out a desperate wail.
The original owner subconsciously took a step back and crushed a dead branch.
Zhou Yan suddenly raised his head, his originally sharp eyes were now bloodshot, and his pupils were dilated with pain.
When he saw the original owner, it was as if he saw a life-saving straw, or as if he saw prey, and his eyes were so complicated that it was hard to understand.
"Help... help me..." Zhou Yan's voice was hoarse, and every word seemed to be squeezed out from his throat.
The original owner looked at his painful expression, and his hesitation instantly disappeared. He turned to Uncle Li and said:
"His mental strength has gone wild. Although I am a guide, my abilities are limited, so I'm afraid I can't be of much help."
Uncle Li agreed with the original owner's self-awareness and nodded, "Young Master is right. Let's do what we can first."
The original owner immediately took out a tube of Sentinel Mental Suppressant from the first aid kit and handed it to Uncle Li:
"Uncle Li, give him a sedative and inhibitor. I'll use my computer to call for help."
Uncle Li took the inhibitor and walked slowly towards Zhou Yan, his steps very lightly, for fear of irritating the sentry who had already lost control.
But when he was still a few steps away from Zhou Yan, Zhou Yan suddenly raised his head, and a fierce light flashed in his bloodshot eyes. That was the sentry's instinctive defense against those approaching when his mental power was out of control.
"Be careful!" the original owner shouted subconsciously.
Before he could finish his words, Zhou Yan had already pounced on him like an enraged beast, so fast that people could not react in time.
Although Uncle Li was prepared and raised his hand to block in a hurry, he was still hit hard in the chest by Zhou Yan's punch containing violent mental power.
The whole person flew backwards like a kite with a broken string, hit the ancient tree behind him, groaned, and fainted.
The original owner was so frightened that his whole body froze, and the hand holding the computer trembled constantly.
After Zhou Yan knocked down Uncle Li, he turned his gaze to him again. The aggressiveness in his eyes did not diminish at all, and he approached him step by step.
The original owner stepped back repeatedly, his heart beating wildly in his chest, almost jumping out.
He looked at Zhou Yan's face which was twisted with pain, and was so scared that he almost cried. But when Zhou Yan's fist was about to fall on him, he saw a flash of struggle in the other's eyes.
Zhou Yan's fist stopped just a few centimeters away from the original owner's cheek. He seemed to wake up suddenly, took a few steps back, and knelt down in pain, holding his head.
He said hoarsely, "I'm... I'm sorry... Let's go..."
The original owner stood there in a daze, looking at his painful appearance, feeling mixed emotions.
He knew that the guide could suppress the sentinel rebellion. The teacher had specifically mentioned this during the week of stabilizing his mental strength, and he had also read a lot of related theoretical knowledge before.
The only prerequisite is that the levels of both parties must be similar, and even if there is a difference, it cannot be too big.
He hesitated for a moment, but mustered up the courage to ask, "What's your mental strength level?"
Zhou Yan was almost driven crazy by the mental turmoil. He opened his mouth, but no sound came out. He just moved his lips with difficulty.
The original owner stared at his lip shape for a long time, but it was really difficult to tell, and could only guess that it was A or C.
If it was C-rank, with his D-rank mental strength, he might be able to give it a try;
But if it was A-level, even if he knew that the plant guide could conduct counseling treatment across three levels, and A-level was just within the theoretical treatment range, he would definitely not be able to do it with his ability that had just been awakened.
So the original owner asked again: "Are you C-level?"
When Zhou Yan heard this, he moved his head slightly.
The original owner breathed a sigh of relief at that moment. If it was C-level, it was not so bad. He could still give it a try.
He took a deep breath, no longer hesitated, and mobilized his mental power. A peony with winding branches slowly emerged from his mental image.
The ice-blue petals are covered with crystal dewdrops, emitting a faint floral fragrance.
He controlled the Peony and slowly approached Zhou Yan, intending to help him channel his runaway mental energy.
The peony wrapped around Zhou Yan's wrist, and the ice-blue mental power flowed out from his fingertips, approaching Zhou Yan's mental barrier like gentle water, trying to pass through and calm the turbulent mental power.
It was indeed effective at first. Zhou Yan's tense body gradually relaxed and his breathing became smoother.
But just when the peony was about to penetrate Zhou Yan's mental barrier, the barrier suddenly fluctuated violently, and a very aggressive energy suddenly burst out from the inside of the barrier.
The mental impact was like a poisoned ice cone that pierced into the original owner's spiritual body.
He later learned that this was the mental strength only possessed by A-level Sentinels.
"Ouch!" The original owner groaned in pain, his vision instantly went black, the petals of the peony withered at a speed visible to the naked eye, and his mental power leaked out like a punctured balloon.
He didn't even have time to retract his spiritual body before his body fell limply and he completely lost consciousness.
When he woke up again, the dazzling white light made him squint subconsciously.
The smell of disinfectant lingered in his nose, and the regular beeping of instruments filled his ears. He rolled his eyes and found himself lying in the treatment chamber.
The computer screen in the warehouse shows the current location - the Central Star White Tower Treatment Room.
During the days lying in the medical cabin, the original owner never regretted taking action, even though the doctor in the White Tower told him that his spiritual body had been severely damaged and his mental strength had declined.
When the original owner heard the doctor say that there was a problem with his spiritual body and mental power, he was indeed panicked.
He subconsciously tried to sense the presence of the peony, and found that it was indeed smaller and weaker, and his mental strength was also failing.
The panic at that moment was like cold sea water flooding over his heart, and his hands clutching the bed sheet trembled slightly.
He had just awakened his spiritual body not long ago and had not had time to see it fully blossom. Was he going to lose it forever?
Fortunately, the doctor also comforted him that his condition has stabilized and he can still recover as long as he receives follow-up treatment.
The original owner also thought that the vine itself has the potential for advancement. As long as the injury is stabilized and well cared for, it will not only recover, but may also become stronger in the future.
So my heart calmed down.
But the original owner at that time didn't know that fate had already laid a more vicious foreshadowing in the dark.
He didn't know that someone would take advantage of his illness to kill him; nor did he know that the sentry he kindly rescued would stab him in the back.
The original owner felt that he had saved someone, which was something to be happy about. This incident was also reported in the news at the time, and everyone praised his bravery.
It was not until he had just returned home from the White Tower treatment area that the wind direction completely changed. Someone had leaked the news that Zhou Yan was an A-level sentinel.
Then all kinds of bad words flooded towards him:
"A D-rank guide dares to touch an A-rank sentinel? Do you think his life is too long?"
"Plant-types are always troublesome. They rely on their ability to soothe spiritual energy and act like they're powerful everywhere. Now it's backfiring, right?"
"I think he's trying to scam the sentry? He knows Zhou Yan is a potential stock, so he's deliberately trying to be nice!"
All kinds of unpleasant words were like poisoned needles, piercing into the original owner's private messages on his computer.
He was very stubborn at that time and deleted all the messages. He still ate and slept as usual every day, thinking that the innocent will be cleared.
And it’s not that no one spoke up for him. Some people defended him, saying that even if Zhou Yan was an A, it was still within his treatment level, and there was nothing wrong with saving people.
This incident caused a big stir at the time, but the supportive comments from the original owner helped him survive.
What really chilled him was what Zhou Yan said in the interview.
"The situation was very dangerous at that time. I actually vaguely remember that I asked him to leave," Zhou Yan was wearing a brand new uniform, with straight shoulders, and his face no longer had the embarrassment of that day.
"That guide... was probably too impatient and didn't consider the difference in mental power levels."
There was not a word of thanks, not a word of explanation, and he even used the three words "too impatient" to easily attribute the original owner's kindness to overestimating one's own abilities.
He stood among the voices that criticized the original owner, like an indifferent bystander, and tacitly accepted all the slander against the original owner.
Because of Zhou Yan's words, the group of people who said he was overestimating his abilities seemed to have found solid evidence and began to belittle him from head to toe.
The voices of those who said that he was right to save people were also drowned out, and even if there were any, they would be quickly drowned out by the bad reviews.
If it weren't for the Central Star White Pagoda Academy and the royal family coming forward later and using some specious words.
It not only affirmed the original owner's right to save people and his wrongness in mispositioning himself, but also ended the dispute with smooth talk. It is estimated that under the double blow of cyber violence and mental damage, the original owner would choose to commit suicide.
Zhou Yan, the evil sentinel, became the original owner's nightmare and caused him a stress reaction.
Whenever the original owner encountered information about Zhou Yan or mentioned his name, he would involuntarily recall the time when he was attacked while trying to save him.
-
Lin Yao sat on the bed, his fingertips pinching into his palms due to the force, and the piercing pain could not suppress the surging emotions in his heart.
The remaining disappointment of the original owner was like a reef under the tide, dully hitting his nerves.
It's like you carefully hold a piece of candy and hand it to someone else, but the other person not only throws the candy away, but also steps on your outstretched hand and crushes it.
In my memory, the young man was lying in the medical cabin, still thinking about visiting Zhou Yan.
Probably, I didn't understand until the end how my sincere kindness could become evidence of ulterior motives in the eyes of others.
Lin Yao's own anger burned his reason like wildfire.
He felt sorry for the original owner and was furious that such pure kindness had been trampled upon.
Zhou Yan's light words of "too impatient" wiped out all the kindness and even bit back.
This ungrateful behavior made him want to rush to the sentry lounge in the East District immediately, find the man, beat him up and ask him where his conscience was.
The two emotions twisted into one, tearing wildly in my chest.
The Shasha entity in the mental image also seemed to feel this anger.
The scarlet threads that had been quietly coiled around the trunk suddenly lit up brightly, and the red killing energy was injected into the ten fighting vines like dancing flames.
Lin Yao suddenly became a little irritable. He raised his hand and tugged at his collar, trying to breathe some fresh air, but he felt like something was blocking his chest, making it painful and stuffy.
The ice-blue vines of Shasha gently rubbed his wrist, with a slightly cool touch, as if to soothe, but also as if to respond to his restlessness.
Lin Yao took a deep breath, forced himself to close his eyes, and tried to calm his breathing.
But what lingered in his mind was the scene of the original owner seeing Zhou Yan's interview.
"Fuck." He cursed softly, his voice filled with suppressed anger.
"Lin Yao? What's wrong with you?" Yu Ze, who had just read his partner's message, noticed that something was wrong with him and asked in a low voice with a hint of worry in his eyes.
Lin Yao took another deep breath and used the bright green energy to cool the fire on the fighting vines and pull himself out of his anger.
"Nothing, I'm just a little sleepy," Lin Yao made up an excuse, "Maybe it's the aftereffects of the warp. I want to sleep for a while."
Yu Ze nodded to show his understanding. The sequelae of the leap were still worthy of attention. He told Lin Yao that there was a button next to the fixing belt, which was the switch for the blackout curtain.
Lin Yao opened the blackout curtains as he said and lay down on the bed with his clothes on.
Zhou Yan’s contact information has been automatically added to the optical computer.
According to the assessment mechanism, the moment the draw result is determined, the system will automatically establish contact between the guide and his partner sentry to facilitate subsequent communication and coordinated operations.
Lin Yao glanced at the unfamiliar avatar on the computer screen. It was the standard photo of Zhou Yan wearing the Feiyu Corps uniform. His eyes were as sharp as an eagle, and he exuded a coldness that kept strangers away.
His fingertips hovered above the screen, and for a moment, he wanted to block and delete it, but his reason told him not to.
This assessment is crucial. Even if the other party is Zhou Yan, he must temporarily put aside personal grudges and complete the task first.
After hesitating for a moment, he chose to block the other party's message. After all, Lin Yao felt that he had nothing to say to the sentry.
After doing all this, Lin Yao threw the laptop aside and closed his eyes.
The blackout curtains blocked out the outside light, and the only sounds in the cabin were the even breathing sounds and the low hum of the starship engine.
But he couldn't fall asleep. The snow on Firefly Ferry, the white light of the medical cabin, and Zhou Yan's indifferent face kept flashing in his mind.
Shasha's aerial roots gently wrapped around his fingers, and the cool touch was soothing.
Lin Yao felt that he should do something. Combined with the previous incident at the guide monument, he felt that Zhou Yan might be the person behind the scenes, sent out to deal with him during this assessment on the desolate planet.
It seems that he needs to contact this enemy.
-
In the East District Sentinel Dormitory, Zhou Yan was wiping his tactical dagger in front of the computer.
The cold light reflected from the blade reflected in his eyes, without any warmth.
A message suddenly popped up on the optical brain, which was the partner information automatically pushed by the assessment system - Guide: Lin Yao.
Zhou Yan paused, then sneered and threw the dagger back into the scabbard on the side of his tactical boots.
He was so familiar with this name, so familiar that just by saying it, he could taste a hint of secret pleasure on the tip of his tongue.
"Lin Yao..." He whispered the name, tapping his fingertips on the computer screen to pull up the other party's information.
The boy in the photo had clean eyebrows and eyes, and the immaturity between his eyebrows and eyes had faded, but he still coincided with the figure in his memory who extended a helping hand in the snow.
The sense of familiarity without any surprise made Zhou Yan feel inexplicably better.
He walked to the window, looked at the pale blue flames gushing out of the starship engine in the distance, and a cold and hard arc appeared at the corner of his mouth.
As long as he successfully completes the task assigned by the superiors this time, the suffocating debt of his family can be written off, and his parents and sister can move to the Central Star to live a good life and truly have no worries about food and clothing.
As for Lin Yao... Zhou Yan's eyes darkened.
This guide, who is about to be pushed into the abyss again by him, is indeed pitiful.
The mental power outage three years ago was a conspiracy. He deliberately concealed his A-level mental power level just to let Lin Yao take action so that he could attack him smoothly.
What he said in the White Tower afterwards was just following the script.
Now we have to start again.
"What a pity." He said softly, but there was no regret in his tone.
Who made Lin Yao the one being targeted by the higher-ups? From that chance encounter at Firefly Ferry, the guide's fate had already been written.
He is just a knife that executes orders. Even if he is not there, someone else will do it all.
The starlight outside the window fell on Zhou Yan's face, making the calculation in his eyes even clearer.
He opened the encrypted dialog box with the contact and typed the following line: The target will be in place soon.
When the notification of successful sending popped up, the laughter of the sentries playing around could be heard from the dormitory next door.
"This is fate." Zhou Yan whispered to the empty dormitory, as if to comfort himself, or as if to set the tone for the upcoming hunt.
He lay back on the bed and when he closed his eyes, what flashed through his mind was not Lin Yao's face, but the smiling faces of his family moving into the new apartment.
As for the guide who was about to be hurt again by him? He was just a stumbling block that he had to crush on his way to a better life.
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